Emily Loper

Illustration

The first design class I ever took was a Photoshop CS2 elective in high school, which opened my eyes to the intersection of technology + fine art. More than a decade later, I'm still playing in that crossroads. Illustration allows me to experiment with color, texture, and depth in ways that product design rarely allows, and it brings out something a little softer and more whimsical in me.

CLUE HOLIDAY PARTY

When I first joined LinkedIn, I worked on the Brand & Marketing team designing product emails, infographics, and go-to-market campaigns for major consumer product launches. Occasionally, I had the opportunity to step outside the box and stretch a few lesser-exercised creative muscles. For this particular project, I worked with LinkedIn's Employee Experience Team to shape our Clue-themed company holiday party, held at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. I loved playing Clue as a kid, so I jumped at the chance to recreate these iconic characters in my own style.

In case you're curious, it was Miss Scarlet in the Study with the Candlestick.

INTERNMATCH EMPLOYER VIDEO

Prior to my time at LinkedIn, I worked at a design studio called Urban Influence in Seattle. One of our clients, InternMatch, approached us about creating a video to promote a new tool for hiring managers looking for the right internship candidates. I collaborated with a motion designer to create an illustrated video with voice over to tell the story of Campus Hubs in an approachable, engaging way.

This was the beginning of a very confusing love-hate relationship with the pen tool (luckily, it's mostly love these days).

LINKEDIN MAKER FAIRE

Every year, LinkedIn's user experience designers host a company-wide Maker Faire where employees can buy or bid on handcrafted gifts for the holidays. 100% of funds go toward toys for local, underserved communities. Each year I volunteer to brand the event, designing a logo, posters, and miscellaneous event swag. This time around, I opted for hand-lettered type with geometric illustrations of maker tools in muted reds, blues, pinks, and greens.

GREG & EM

When my husband and I got married in September 2015, I incorporated whimsical illustrations into our wedding suite to reflect our unique backgrounds and our growing excitement about the big day and the journey ahead of us. In the end, I loved how this simple, line drawing style balanced out the variety of colors, textures, and materials used throughout the wedding.